The Great War
The Great War is the largest war to date in the history of mankind, and includes millions of men spread throughout the entire world. The war was begun when the Serbian government violated the Treaty of Berlin, and militarized the Montenegrian border with Austria-Hungary, establishing a bunker and manned it with the 3rd Serbian Infantry. The Austro-Hungarian government issued an ultimatum to immediately withdraw troops on the 7th of June. By the 9th, the Austrian deadline had passed, and Austria-Hungary declared war. Preceding Events (April 2nd - June 8th) On April 2nd, the Bulgarian government declared war on Romania, to take back southern Dobrudja. The Bulgarian 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Cavalry divisions advanced upon the city of Bucharest, eventually accompanied by the 2nd Bulgarian Corps, and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Bulgarian Infantry. They engaged the 1st and 2nd Romanian Corps. Heavy fighting ensued, and the city would be locked in combat until the 24th of June. Along with this offensive, the 5th and 6th Bulgarian Cavalry, with the 9th, 10th, and 11th Bulgarian Infantry formed a battle line north of the city of Varna, and south of Constanta. During this time, the Russian government issued multiple demands to Bulgaria to exit Romanian lands, but never acted on any of the demands. Bulgaria was being guaranteed by the Central Powers, as they were a member. The Russians wanted to maintain peace, as well as the fact they had not yet completed their recruitment for the eastern front. The Bulgarian-Romanian war continued for months, until June. The Serbians built a fortification in the demilitarized Montenegro, violating the Treaty of Berlin which ended the War for Montenegro 4 months earlier in June. They then garrisoned it with the 3rd Serbian Infantry. The Austro-Hungarian government issued an ultimatum to Serbia to vacate the zone and cease militarization or else. The Serbians sent no response, and on the 9th of June, the Austrians declared war. Early Stages (June 9th-August 31st) June 1914 The Serbians started the war off immediately, and sent the 1st and 2nd Serbian Cavalry in an attempt to encircle the Austrian 2nd Army stationed west of Belgrade on the 10th. However, the 2nd Army was alerted to this, and moved to intercept the Serbian force. The cavalry were caught by surprise, and this initiated the Battle of Loznica. '''The cavalry divisions were completely wiped out, while the 2nd Army remained relatively unscathed. By the 13th of June, the Austrian 2nd Army had advanced to the Montenegrian border, and assaulted the fortifications protecting it. The Austrian 2nd Army skirmished with the troops in the fortifications, before successfully taking it after tactical blunders by the Serbian commander, winning the '''First Battle of Montenegro. The 2nd Army held it's position, and the 2nd Austrian Army Corps pushed on, but were assaulted by Serbian troops of the 2nd Serbian Corps. Additionally the French 7th, 8th, and 9th Militia were apart of the attack on the 14th of June, initiating the Second Battle of Montenegro. The 2nd Army Corps was completely wiped out, resulting in an Austrian loss. The Bulgarians assaulted Serbian fortifications in Palja during the Battle of Palja. The 16th Serbian Infantry defended these fortifications against the Bulgarian 2nd Artillery and the Bulgarian 1st Corps. The 2nd Artillery was destroyed, and the Bulgarian 1st Corps took heavy casualties, but managed to take the fortifications, managing to break the Serbian line of fortifications on the Bulgarian border. Also on the 14th of June, the Bulgarians took the city of Bucharest after months of fighting, and won the Battle of Bucharest. It was also during this time the Austrians and Germans gave orders to advance on the eastern front. There was a lull in the fighting in Montenegro, which would continue for weeks. There were no further battles until 3 days later on the 18th of June, when the Ottoman Empire invaded Jabal Shammar to retake lost territory. The Arabs fought fiercely, and destroyed the Ottoman 1st and 2nd Artillery, along with the Ottoman 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Volunteer Divisions. However, they took heavy casualties in the shelling and ensuing battle, but managed to win the First Battle of Jabal Shammar. There was a week of no further advances on any front, until the 26th of June, when the German Empire invaded Belgium. The 8th, 10th, and 44th Army Corps participated in a full frontal assault on the 1st and 2nd Belgian Corps stationed in Liege. The Germans managed to defeat the Belgians in a one sided battle, killing triple the number of Belgians than compared to what the Germans lost themselves, and won the Battle of Liege. As for sea battles, on the 14th of June, the Austrian SMS Brennthund and SMS Kaiser Franz engaged the Serbian HRSN Peter, HRSN Skopje, and HRSN Aleksandr in the First Battle for the Adriatic. The Austrian fleet was sunk, with the HRSN Peter taking heavy damage in the process. July 1914 On the 1st of July, both sides in Montenegro gained reinforcements. The Austrian 11th Army appeared to reinforce the 2nd Army, and advanced onto Montenegro. While the Serbian 3rd Corps appeared also. However, the Austrian armies were encircled due to a strategical blunder, resulting in the total destruction of the 2nd Army. The 11th Army managed to destroy the Serbian forces with heavy casualties, however winning the Third Battle of Montenegro. Concurrently on the 1st of July, the Ottomans regrouped, and attacked the weakened Arabs in the Second Battle of Jabal Shammar. This time, with weakened numbers, Jabal Shammar was finally defeated, and was annexed into the Ottoman Empire. Also on the 1st of July, the 1st Austrian Artillery Army again opened fire on Belgrade, razing the city for a second time in this year, in what is known as the Second Bombardment of Belgrade. Also apart of the Austrian offensives, the city and territory of Gibraltar was occupied without resistance. On July 12th, the British Colonial troops assembled throughout Africa assembled in Egypt, and led an assault on the Ottoman Jannissary divisions located in Cairo. The Battle of Cairo commenced, which resulted in all British troops being destroyed, and only a few thousand jannissaries remaining in Cairo. This battle, however, ensured Ottoman control over the Suez, and kept a doorway to the heart of their empire shut. Over the weeks of July 16th - July 30th, there were massive battles engulfing the eastern front. The Austro-Hungarian forces engaged in numerous battles, such as the Battle of Krakau, the Battle of Tarnau, the Battle of Lemberg, and the Battle of the Romanian Salient. Also during this period, the German Empire advanced on the eastern front, beating the Russian Empire in the Battle of the Lodz Pocket, and the Retreat to Warsaw. These battles saw massive casualties on the sides of the Russians and Austrians, while the Germans were unscathed in these battles. At the same time, the Germans continued their push in the west, beating the Belgian armies in the Battle for Brussels and the Battle for Antwerp, which shattered what remained of the Belgian army and allowed the Germans to conquer the nation by the end of the month in July 1914. Also late in July, the French began an assault into northern Italy, and the Italian government announced it was switching sides to the Entente. The Italian people, having been oppressed by the new military dictatorship, and with the French occupying Milan, with the Central Powers also declaring war on them, and the political instability, rose up against the Italian government. General Armando Diaz, who was leading the Italian state, had been killed, and the country shattered between different forces wanting various government types and ideologies. This resulted in the creation of the states of Milan, Venice, Papal States, and Naples. August 1914 On the 12th of August, the German Empire commenced the Battle for Warsaw, which ended in massive casualties for the Russians, and the capture of the city by the Germans after four days of fighting ending on the 16th. Russian casualties were estimated at 660,000 men, while the Germans only lost 75,000. The Russians after this battle sued for peace, resulting in the Treaty of Brest-LItovsk, which divided up Eastern Europe among the Central Powers. Following this, Romania, and France both surrendered unconditionally, leading to the separate peaces of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Bucharest. Following this, the Austro-Hungarians continued renewed assaults upon the Serbians, with costly results. In the First, Second, and Third Battles for Belgrade, the Austro-Hungarian army was pushed back again and again before finally taking the city. They also renewed an assault on Nis, and captured the city with days in the Battle for Nis. After this, near the end of August on the 23rd, the German Kriegsmarine engaged the still weakend Serbian Navy in port. The attacked surprised the Serbian fleet, as the SMS Deutschland, SMS Prinz Adalbert,SMS V-1, V-2, V-3, V-4, and V5, as well as SM U-7, U-8, U-9, U-10, and U-11 attacked the Serbian fleet, destroying it without any German ships taking damage in the Second Battle of the Adriatic. Middle Stages (September 1st-) September September saw the beginning of the blockade against the United Kingdom, resulting in a food shortage, most notably in Ireland. This also saw Russia begin to destabilize. German forces reorganized in the east and west, and began to build up for a potential invasion of the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, in Austria-Hungary, the Battle of Sarajevo was fought, which was against the last remaining Serbian troops resulting in Austrian victory. This, along with the Bulgarian occupation of Macedonia resulted in the capitulation of Serbia to the Central Powers. Serbia was then annexed in the Treaty of Belgrade.Category:Wars